This town was apparently called 'Radiance' - a description that it was not. Years of labour, drinking and bad weather had turned it sour, so where it once might have been charming it now was rather the opposite. White-washed walls had been replaced by dirt and lichen, and various buildings that were not in use had had their roofs caved in - then never replaced. Chimneys from the roaring trade of blacksmithing poured dark smoke into the skies, whilst a steady line of individuals entered and exited the single large pub that dominated the centre of the town. It was by the market place, that seemed to sell nothing but limp vegetables and fat prostitutes. Nothing was remarkable about this place - Stare felt horrid, disgusted and depressed as soon as she stepped in. Yet, it was the only one on the road for some distance, and the sun was already setting.
With a grunt Stare rode Sen to a farmstead at the edge of town that at least seemed to be decent. At least, it was nicer and fairer than the town itself, and it had a stable. In any case, her dear chocobo would sleep well tonight. With a stern knock on the door she waited until she was faced with the apparent farmer's wife - a rotund woman with a tumour at her neck. Narrow, suspicious eyes stared at her.
"Aye, whit deh yeh wan'?"
The kenku blinked, hand tightening around the reigns of Sen. She gestured with her beak up to him. "Will you stable my chocobo for the night?"
The older women blinked and folded her arms, looking Stare up and down. "Yehn be tha' kenku type eh? They talk abou' un doon in Beinos'."
"Yes, they do. That would be my sister," Stare lied easily, lining her eyes up and glaring darkly at the wife. She did not force her emotions in yet, and thus not harm the woman, but definitely felt the anger rising. Accidents did happen. "I am looking to stable my chocobo. Will you do it?"
"Wha's wrang with the un in toon?"
Stare raised her brow and looked deliberately over at the dingy, ugly town, black against the gorgeous rich blue of the dusk. And that was not because it was a silhouette. Nay, smoke was still billowing from the forges. It took the woman a moment to roll her eyes.
"Alrigh', alrigh', 'ow much?" And she stuck out a fat-fingered hand. Into Stare deposited five large gold pieces, in a pile, to which the woman's eyes grew large. It was possible she had never seen so much money in her life.
"You look after him like he is your own child. And that," she passed over two more, "Is to keep his presence silence, yes?"
With a mouth agape, the woman nodded, the tumour beneath her wobbling. Stare gave a quick nod before passing over Sen's reigns. "If he is in as good condition as he is now, there will be double that coming."
It seemed the woman was pleased. She wasn't looking at Stare anymore, but was now already rapidly pulling the bird. Sen tilted his head and sadly cawed as he was led away by someone who was not his mistress, but after a while his brain learnt. Stare watched him disappear into a barn, where there were small neighs and moos, and she knew then that her instinct had been correct.
Well. That left Sen taken care of. Now herself.
She headed into the town, pulling her grey, woollen travelling cloak around herself more and twitching up the hood. A look of discomfort crossed her face as she readjusted her shoulders and felt the still unfamiliar weight of her wings - her bloody wings - twitch beneath her. They were, for now, folded tight against her back and could be mistaken for some form of growth. She imagined wildly that something such as that would not be uncommon in this town, with the apparent filth that oozed from it. Thus, she prepared to attempt to hold them still, and strode into town with her dark cloak covering her form, trying to look like a short and dark stranger - one who should be most definitely left alone.
Taking the shortest route to the inn, she eyed up a curious man who tried to peer into her hood, and caused him to gasp as his last nightmare assailed his unexpecting mind. With a slight look of amusement she pushed her way past a vomitting drunkard into the pub. She caught the quite singular name - 'The Rotten Apple' - before she stepped into the raucous.
Immediately she sighed. But she knew she had come to the right place to be unassuming, and left alone. Peering around the large, open space that was full of arm wrestles, drinking competitions and people feeding their rats crumbs, Stare found a booth right to the back. Already there were a couple of mysterious, dark hooded strangers that seemed her type. She eyed them up, her bright dark eyes catching theirs for the briefest second, and knew they were there for the same reason as her - to be left alone. She shoved her butt onto a seat, settled and sat there before the world seemed to get used to her.
It did not take long. Before long a busty barmaid had come over to her, addressed her as, "Sir," and asked her what she wanted. Stare grunted for two beers and waited for that woman to go before she dug her hand into the pouch at her belt.
And once more settled her long fingers over the violet stone. The one that she had still not as yet heard an answer to, but was truly hoping for one now.
Nosdyn? she asked, I am in the town of Radiance. I It is a dung-heap but on the road. Very close to Tular, my friend. Please answer me ... I need your help.
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